Coming in bright colors, the chrysanthemum flower epitomizes joy and friendship.
Apart from that, though there are other meanings associated with it, including a negative one. Plus, we will go over its cultural relevance and uses.
And we will discuss all of them in this complete guide so you’ll know what makes them special—should you plan to get one for a friend or loved one soon.
What is the word origin of the chrysanthemum?
The word chrysanthemum can be traced back to Ancient Greek words khrusós, meaning gold, and ánthemon, meaning flower.
This is because when the flower was first cultivated, its color was golden yellow.
What does the chrysanthemum flower symbolize?
The chrysanthemum flower represents joy, friendship, and loyalty owing to its bright colors and sun-loving characteristic. Plus, it connotes a long and happy life in Japan and China where they are native to.
What do various colors of chrysanthemums mean?
Different chrysanthemum colors vary in meaning and are ideal gifts for different occasions:
What does a chrysanthemum flower tattoo mean?
A chrysanthemum flower tattoo means that the tattooed person values the qualities of strength, determination, and a big heart.
Since the flower can also be a symbol of Amaterasu, the Japanese goddess of the sun, the flower tattoo also represents warmth, happiness, and long life.
It’s a popular artistic subject in Japan, and the flower is a feature in many creative and impressive ink designs.
What is the cultural relevance of chrysanthemums?
Chrysanthemums hold cultural significance around the world, particularly in the US, China, and Japan.
What does the white chrysanthemum mean in Japan?
White chrysanthemums connote death in Japanese culture.
Thus, people here only use these flowers as an offering for departed loved ones. It mustn’t be used for gifting a living relative or friend.
Chrysanthemums in Literature
The Chrysanthemums is a short story written by John Steinbeck in 1937. It takes on the issue of gender inequality.
In the book, the chrysanthemum stands for women who are often overshadowed by men in their society.
Chrysanthemums in Film
In the 1979 film Escape from Alcatraz, the chrysanthemum flower is a key symbol throughout the story.
For the director, the yellow chrysanthemum meant hope in a hopeless situation.
The character Chester ‘Doc’ Dalton saw the flower as a symbol of his will to live, but for another character, Frank Morris, the flower represented his strong determination to be the first man to escape from the Alcatraz prison.
What is the spiritual meaning of the chrysanthemum?
Below are the spiritual meanings of the chrysanthemum flower in some religions:
Is the chrysanthemum lucky in feng shui?
The chrysanthemum is one of the luckiest flowers in feng shui because it’s believed to bring happiness and positivity to one’s home.
But not only that, happiness and positivity are also connected with and can boost your wealth, success, and good luck.
In terms of placement, you can place the chrysanthemum flower in the relationship area, which is located in the southwest area of the house.
What are some fun chrysanthemum facts?
Check out some interesting facts about the chrysanthemum flower:
- Chrysanthemum is the most common commercial flower in America.
- Chrysanthemum, along with the peony, is the birth flower of November.
- The flower is known as the Queen of All Fall Flowers.
- It belongs to one of the largest plant families, Asteraceae, boasting 32,000+ varieties.
- The flowers are made of many small disk florets in the center and are surrounded by bigger ray florets or petals on the outside.
What are the uses of the chrysanthemum flower?
Chrysanthemums aren’t only used for gifting or event decoration. Some people actually use them as a garnish or side dish, as herbal medicine, or as a natural insect repellent as well.
Chrysanthemum Home Decor
With their unique shapes, colors, and sizes, chrysanthemums can add wonder, energy, and excitement to the house, office, or garden.
They come in many kinds, some of which are single-bloom, decorative, quilled, and pompon.
Differing in color, from white to fuchsia to red and yellow, they make for an excellent flower display at the home or office.
The flower also emits a herby and earthy fragrance that can fill a room.
Warning: All plants of the chrysanthemum plant can be toxic to humans, cats, dogs, and other animals.
To be on the safe side, it is advised to keep them away from children and pets.
Chrysanthemums in Cooking
Chrysanthemum greenery is mostly eaten as vegetables, used as a soup garnish, or with sukiyaki (Japanese meal with fried beef, veggies, and sauce) and shabu-shabu.
The foliage has a delicious and herbaceous taste, while the stems are sweet and crunchy.
The chrysanthemum greens can either be steamed or boiled, but for perfect chrysanthemum veggies, take care not to overcook them.
Disclaimer: According to Healthline, consuming chrysanthemums, whether as food or tea, can have some side effects for some people.
These side effects include skin rashes, asthma, and anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction). Touching the plant might cause skin irritation, difficulty breathing, or other respiratory condition.
Chrysanthemums in Medicine
Though more research and evidence are needed, chrysanthemum flowers have been used to treat a wide variety of health conditions in a person.
Among them are headache, dizziness, chest pain, fever, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, stomach cancer, and prostate cancer.
Chrysanthemums as Insect Repellant
Chrysanthemums can repel or kill unwanted insects in the garden like fleas, ticks, ants, and Japanese beetles since they contain the chemical Pyrethrin.
As a result, this is an excellent flower to grow if your garden has been struggling with insects for some time.
